All ACS articles
-
NewsCautious optimism over potential business rate reforms
Small business owners could hear good news when the Autumn Budget is announced in late November, after the Treasury published an interim report indicating ministers are considering changes to business rates.
-
NewsJames Lowman to leave ACS after nearly 30 years
Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) chief executive James Lowman is to leave the organisation in early 2026, after nearly three decades in its service.
-
NewsLocal shops cut staff and investment in ‘challenging year’
Convenience retailers, including forecourt operators, are cutting their cloth to reflect increased costs, by employing fewer staff and investing less in their businesses, according to The Local Shop Report 2025.
-
NewsRetailers urged to write to MPs ahead of Budget over business rates
Forecourt and other convenience store operators, are being urged to contact their members of parliament ahead of the Autumn Budget on October 30, raising concerns over business rates.
-
NewsDisposable vape ban marked by calls for greater enforcement
Yesterday (June 1) marked the start of the ban on the sale of disposable vapes, but calls are already coming for Trading Standards officers to be given greater resources to enforce the new rules.
-
NewsCrime and Policing Bill progresses with second reading in parliament
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper recognised the unique challenges faced in crimes against rural communities, as the second reading of the Crime and Policing Bill progressed through parliament on Monday (March 10).
-
NewsCash still vital for convenience sector, ACS tells Commons committee
Cash will account for a significant proportion of purchases in the forecourt and convenience sector for at least five years, with in-store ATMs also providing a vital resource in communities that do not have access to a bank.
-
NewsACS launches extended advice on vape sales ahead of 2025 disposable ban
The Association of Convenience Stores has launched an extended version of its ‘Selling Vapes Responsibly’ guide to support retailers with the transition away from disposable vapes ahead of a ban on the products on June 1 next year.
-
NewsACS raises concerns over separate deposit return scheme for Wales
The Association of Convenience Stores has raised serious concerns over the Welsh government’s decision to create its own deposit return scheme (DRS).
-
NewsRecycling regulation coming in under forecourt operators’ radar, warns ACS
Forecourt retailers are being warned they risk being unprepared for major new waste recycling regulations taking effect in England in March.
-
NewsACS report reveals forecourts as essential convenience sites
The annual ACS Forecourt Report reveals the growing importance of petrol stations’ convenience store business, with 41% of shoppers arriving on foot or bike, a typical non-fuel spend of £11.83, and an average basket of three items.
-
NewsACS warns Chancellor against increasing employer National Insurance Contributions
ACS has urged the Government to avoid adding to the cost of employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) ahead of the Budget on October 30, warning that any increase in the rate would cost tens of millions of pounds for the convenience sector alone.
-
NewsPRA and ACS call on Reeves to give retailers a financial lifeline in upcoming Budget
Associations representing forecourt and convenience retailers have called for measures to ease financial pressures on their members in their submissions to Chancellor Rachel Reeves ahead of the October Budget.
-
NewsForecourt and convenience stores ‘futureproof’ sites with record investment
Forecourt and convenience stores spent £1 billion over the past year ”futureproofing” their businesses with improvements including new services, and technology such as energy efficient refrigeration and lighting, self-service tills, and anti-theft equipment.
-
NewsACS gives evidence for shoplifting inquiry on Parliament TV tomorrow
Tomorrow the House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee will quiz the retail industry on trends in shoplifting, and the role that facial recognition technology and the police might play.
-
NewsACS warns raising living wage above two-thirds median earnings will harm retailers
The Association of Convenience Stores is warning that pushing minimum wage rates above two-thirds of median earnings could stifle investment in the sector and “intensify the problems facing retailers”.
-
NewsACS backs calls for resources to help trading standards crack down on illicit trading
The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) is backing a call for more resources for trading standards, the local authority departments that enforce consumer protection legislation.
-
NewsACS welcomes police progress on retail crime but urges further action
Progress on tackling the blight of retail crime, including by changing the way police officers respond to shop theft and violent incidents in stores, has been welcomed by ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores).
-
NewsACS calls for better regulation of vaping market
The Association of Convenience Stores has called for better regulation of the vaping market in its response to the Department of Health and Social Care’s consultation on tobacco and vaping restrictions, in particular to prevent youth access and encourage recycling.
-
NewsACS welcomes new Retail Crime Action Plan to tackle prolific offenders
The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has welcomed the publication of the new Retail Crime Action Plan, which sets out the way that police should respond to and investigate thefts against convenience stores and other retail businesses